Gigapan Systems Epic 100
Panorama Robot Review

Button / Menu Layout

• Gigapan Setup
  • Set up the field of view (FOV)
    The Field of View setting is the most important setting before creating a panorama.  If your camera and maximum zoom ratio doesn't change then you only have to set this once, though it's very easy to do if you do switch lenses or camera bodies often.
  
  
• Options
  • Time per Pic
    This adjustment allows you to control how long the Epic 100 should wait between photos.  If you plan to capture night scenes or cityscapes at night this is a must-have option.  You'll be able to set the Epic 100 to wait as long as 65.6 seconds between shots, giving you decent flexibility for capturing night panoramas.   Unfortunately, the only way to set the Epic 100 to 60 seconds is to hold down the arrow navigation key and wait for it to scroll to that number -- and it doesn't happen quickly.
  
  
  • Expert Options
    • Button Hold (Short or Normal)
      This setting controls how long the automatic "finger" keeps the shutter button pressed.
    
    
    • Firmware Version
      Allows you to confirm which firmware version the Epic 100 has installed.  To the best of my knowledge there is now way to upgrade the firmware yourself as there isn't a port anywhere to facilitate such an upgrade.
    
    
    • Motors On
    
    
    • Pic Ordering
      • Column
      • Row -- Up
      • Row -- Down
    
    
    • Shutter Method (Manual / Remote Port / Button Pusher)
      By default, this is set to "Button Pusher," which tells the Epic 100 to use the robotic "finger" to automatically press the shutter button to capture each image.  Setting this mode to manual will allow you to manually press the shutter button when the camera's shutter button is not be positioned correctly for the robotic "finger," or for those times when you want control over camera movement on windy days, etc.  Setting the option to remote port provide.
    
    
    • Checklist (on/off)
      Determines if the Epic 100 will remind you to turn off particular camera settings before it starts shooting the panorama.   The reminders include locking the exposure, focus, and setting a fixed white balance (incandescent, cloudy, sunny, etc.)
  
  
  • Factory Reset
  
  
  • Multiple Shutter
    
    • 1 - 9
      Allows you to configure the Epic 100 to snap up to 9 pictures at each location.  Great for exposure bracketing if you dare to create an HDR Gigapan.
  
  
  • Start Delay
    • 0 - 300 seconds
      Enables a timer delay before each panorama capture begins.  This way you can set everything up but not have it begin for up to 5 minutes after pressing OK.
  
  
  • Battery Status (in volts)
  
  
• Last Panorama
  Repeats the last panorama with identical start / end positions.


• 360 Panorama
  Just tell it the top frame of view and bottom frame of view and the Gigapan will do the rest, swiveling 360°.